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Making your own knobs ......
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Rykhaard



Joined: Sep 02, 2007
Posts: 1290
Location: Canada

PostPosted: Fri Sep 23, 2011 3:31 am    Post subject: Reply with quote  Mark this post and the followings unread

The biggest problem that I had over my roughly 3 year period of making my own knobs (using wooden dowels) was centring my drill press to make the shaft hole. The next biggest problem that I found no solution for, was properly attaching the wooden knob to the pot's shaft.

Finally - not liking using screws as they often split the knob, was moving to coloured knobs from smallbearelectronics.com. Low cost and I can still colour code them as to the functions in my modular.

I miss being able to draw custom knob pics on each one though. Sad
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umschmitt



Joined: Jun 29, 2011
Posts: 189
Location: brrlin
Audio files: 11

PostPosted: Fri Sep 23, 2011 9:10 am    Post subject: Reply with quote  Mark this post and the followings unread

(just thinking out loud)
Rykhaard wrote:
The biggest problem … was centring my drill press to make the shaft hole.

Why not drill first a hole the diameter of the knobs in a fastened piece of what you want, then stick the knobs-to-be in it and drill the shaft holes ? That should be centered ? Note that I didn't try it myself…
Quote:
The next biggest problem that I found no solution for, was properly attaching the wooden knob to the pot's shaft.

A thin layer of rubber in between could make it, oder ?

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marvkaye



Joined: Mar 14, 2011
Posts: 225
Location: Fla

PostPosted: Fri Sep 23, 2011 11:16 am    Post subject: Reply with quote  Mark this post and the followings unread

Rykhaard wrote:
The biggest problem that I had over my roughly 3 year period of making my own knobs (using wooden dowels) was centring my drill press to make the shaft hole.



A lathe would solve that problem once and for all. Since that's not the solution you want to hear, you can solve it with fixturing. Attach a thick piece of plywood or dimensional lumber to your drill press table either with screws or clamps so it can't move... this will become your fixture. Drill a blind hole the same size as the outer diameter of your knob just deep enough to be able to position a knob under the drill, but not so deep that you can't hold on to it. Switch over to a center drill smaller than the hole size you're going to drill and center drill all of your knob blanks positioned in your fixture. Then switch over to the drill size required for the shaft size you're trying to accommodate and drill your final holes. Since all the knobs would be positioned in the same locating hole and had their holes started with a center drill they will all come out drilled the same at the end of the process, as close to centered as humanly possible without a lathe. I hope this makes sense for you... (what umschmitt said in one line, basically Rolling Eyes )

As for how to keep them on the shaft... if this is the kind of knob you want to continue using you might consider pots with split knurled shafts... this way you could drill your knobs to simply press fit on the shaft and not have to worry about screws and such. Just drill the final hole .05mm smaller than the shaft size and they'll press on nice and tightly, with the knurls biting into the wood a little bit and the split part of the shaft acting like a spring to keep them tight. Ought to work a good long time.

<marv>
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SPIKE the Percussionist



Joined: Jun 06, 2006
Posts: 74
Location: manipulate.net

PostPosted: Fri Sep 23, 2011 12:11 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote  Mark this post and the followings unread

looks like this guy made some:

http://www.audiotweaks.com/diy2/scott_knobs/page01.htm

and found this guy on eBay:

http://stores.ebay.com/Exotic-Wood-Knobs-And-Guitar-Parts

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diablojoy



Joined: Sep 07, 2008
Posts: 809
Location: melbourne australia
Audio files: 11

PostPosted: Fri Sep 23, 2011 5:35 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote  Mark this post and the followings unread

Rykhaard
Quote:
centring my drill press to make the shaft hole.



if your drill press has a large enough chuck
put your knob in the chuck
and the drill bit in the vice
in other words spin the knob not the drill bit
makes centering far easier
if the drill press chuck isnt large enough and for a 3/4 " knob [most likely ]
you will either need to buy a chuck large enough not always possible as it would depend on the drill you have or invent a custom knob holder to fit the chuck which may not be as hard to do as you would at first think

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DrJustice



Joined: Sep 13, 2004
Posts: 2114
Location: Morokulien
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PostPosted: Sat Sep 24, 2011 4:33 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote  Mark this post and the followings unread

Rykhaard wrote:
..Finally - not liking using screws as they often split the knob,...

One possibility for knobs of slightly fragile materials is to use a metal tube insert in the hole, making the threads for the grub screw in that. A bit like typical commercial plastic knobs are made.

DJ
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prgdeltablues



Joined: Sep 25, 2006
Posts: 222
Location: UK
Audio files: 12

PostPosted: Fri Oct 14, 2011 4:27 am    Post subject: Reply with quote  Mark this post and the followings unread

My technique with wooden knobs is to use a two part, self-setting, polymer clay (the name of which is escaping me!!!) with splined shaft pots. I drill out an 8mm hole in the knob, then fill it with the polymer clay, push in a pot. Then wait about 30-50 mins before carefully easing the pot out. Result - the inside of the knob is serrated to match the serrations on the pot shaft. 95% success rate. Wait too long and you'll never get the pot out. Using vaseline on the shaft helps. Because the polymer clay is two part, it sets without heating, and is without significant shrinkage, unlike eg Fimo.

When I remember the tradname I'll post it!

Peter
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marvkaye



Joined: Mar 14, 2011
Posts: 225
Location: Fla

PostPosted: Fri Oct 14, 2011 11:13 am    Post subject: Reply with quote  Mark this post and the followings unread

Sounds like JB Weld in stick form... I've used it for similar things with excellent results as well. Lots of people make similar products, trade names like Marine Tex, Loctite, etc.

<marv>
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airlock



Joined: Apr 06, 2007
Posts: 297
Location: Calabash, NC USA
Audio files: 53

PostPosted: Sat Oct 15, 2011 1:27 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote  Mark this post and the followings unread

Just in case:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Custom-aluminum-synthesizer-knobs-57pcs-universal-/120794389929?pt=Keyboards_MIDI&hash=item1c1fe81da9
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rockmanrock



Joined: May 03, 2010
Posts: 5
Location: UK

PostPosted: Thu Nov 24, 2011 5:07 am    Post subject: Reply with quote  Mark this post and the followings unread

prgdeltablues wrote:
When I remember the tradname I'll post it!


Milliput?
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prgdeltablues



Joined: Sep 25, 2006
Posts: 222
Location: UK
Audio files: 12

PostPosted: Thu Nov 24, 2011 8:50 am    Post subject: Reply with quote  Mark this post and the followings unread

Yes! Milliput. Sorry not to have posted sooner.
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